Read More

"For about an hour I tried to contact Niamh and friends of hers in Manchester and then all of a sudden I saw the news about the fatalities and that just done it for me, it brought it home the prospect your own daughter was caught up in it."

It was around two very long hours later for the Woods family until they finally got news that Niamh was safe.

The 19-year-old student was working in a security locked room when the bomb went off, with no access to her phone.

She described the terrible scenes she witnessed to her family in the aftermath.

Sean said: "Niamh was able to contact me through her friend, she didn't have her phone on her.

Emergency services at Victoria Railway Station, close to the Manchester Arena (Image: Getty)

"It was a very emotional phonecall. She witnessed a lot. At 19 years of age to witness that, it wasn't good.

"She said there was blood streaming down people's faces, people's clothes drenched in blood and they were banging on the doors and glass of the room she was locked in.

"She and her colleagues were in a locked facility because they were counting the money. They couldn't actually open the door to help anyone or let them in.

"She was just watching people banging and screaming trying to get out of the way of the blast, it was just horrific for her, she's in a bad state at the minute."

Sean continued: "She said she never heard a bang like it in her life, it was just so frightening, she's obviously distraught by it all.

"I just want to speak to her now, but everything is down at the minute. When you see 22 fatalities and 59 injured it's just... the thought of your own wee one being caught in that is just overpowering.

"Every five minutes myself and my wife Bernie break into tears, and we do it because we are so thankful, we are so lucky that she wasn't directly involved in it.

Ariana Grande concert attendees Vikki Baker and her daughter Charlotte, aged 13, leave the Park Inn where they were given refuge after last night's explosion at Manchester Arena (Image: Getty)

"God help those people who have lost family members, I was listening to interviews last night of people with children and that at the concert, wee ones at their very first concert, it's horrific."

The Woods family are now frantically trying to get Niamh home.

Sean said: "Niamh has her last exam on Thursday which she won't be doing, no degree is worth your wee'uns life, we're trying to get her home now. You don't have to have a degree to get on in life."

Read More

59 people have also been injured in the attack which Greater Manchester Police say they are treating as a terror attack.

It is believed a lone attacker detonated an explosive device.

Students and staff from a Northern Ireland school say they are also safe following last night's terror attack.

A number of staff and pupils from Sacred Heart College in Omagh, Co Tyrone are also currently in the city on a school trip but are not believed to have been at the concert.

Assuring parents that all students are accounted for and are safe, a statement read: "The students and staff on the Manchester Trip are all safe. They are all in their hotel which is outside the area of tonight's incident.

"The phone networks were down earlier. We will update you in the morning."

A book of condolence will open at Belfast City Hall at 11.30am this morning for the victims of the terror attack.

A fundraising page set up just a number of hours after the attack has also raised thousands for the victims.